


the road we're on

by withoutwords



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Dating, Fluff, M/M, More Fluff, Road Trips, Romance, Travel, lots and lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-01 10:42:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20813795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/withoutwords/pseuds/withoutwords
Summary: “Ben,” Callum says, and he moves to stand in front of Ben, Ben backed up against the car. “You don’t owe me nothing. We’re starting fresh, right?”Ben’s head feels a little cloudy. He’s not used to Callum being so sure. It’s supposed to be him that’s got everything under control. But Callum changes all that. “Yeah. Course.”





	the road we're on

**Author's Note:**

> Written for an anon request at Tumblr: "Maybe a 5 times type fic of ballum going on little road trips/drives at different stages of their relationship?"

**1.**

Ben’s got a flat tyre and no spare in the trunk. When he heard the pop, he wasn’t even surprised - it’s not like things had been going great for him so far. Why not throw roadside drama and another failed date into the mix?

“It ain’t failed,” Callum tells him, and the prick has a little smirk on his face.

“It ain’t  _ funny _ ,” Ben counters.

“It kinda is. I mean …” Callum doesn’t even finish the sentence. He just hides his face in his hand and dissolves into giggles. Usually Ben would find it cute, but he’s honestly had enough.

It was his fault the last date was such a mess. He really wanted to make it different this time. “I gotta call the restaurant.”

That makes Callum stop laughing. “You made reservations?”

“Course I did, you muppet.”

While Ben calls to tell the restaurant that lunch is out of the question and would dinner be possible, he watches Callum lean against the side of the car, checking his watch and smiling to himself. It almost makes him forget what he’s saying - he’s so beautiful and he wants Ben.

It’s a lot.

“Dinner good for you?” Ben asks when he gets off the phone.

“Yeah. S’great.”

“ _ Great _ ,” Ben repeats with his own smirk, going to stand with Callum and knocking their elbows together. 

Callum looks at him teasingly. “Ya not really upset are ya?”

“A bit. I had it planned. It was gonna be a whole thing.”

“It still can be.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Ben,” Callum says, and he moves to stand in front of Ben, Ben backed up against the car. “You don’t owe me nothing. We’re starting fresh, right?”

Ben’s head feels a little cloudy. He’s not used to Callum being so sure. It’s supposed to be him that’s got everything under control. But Callum changes all that. “Yeah. Course.”

“Then don’t worry. Where’s the cocky Ben Mitchell I know so well, huh?”

“He’s having lunch with his date at a classy restaurant and hoping for a goodnight kiss,” Ben teases, and Callum let’s out a little honk of a laugh.

“Well I can help with one of those if ya like.”

When the tow truck gets there, later, Callum’s still got Ben against the car and they’ve forgotten all about their problems.

Ben can’t believe he had any to begin with.    
  


**2.**

Callum’s driving them out into the countryside - along winding roads and through some of the smallest town’s Ben’s ever seen. Each time they arrive at a new one, Ben looks at him expectantly hoping that this will be it.

“Alright, give it up,” Ben says once they’ve passed through the fifth one. “You’re bringing me out here to kill me, ain’t ya? You’re gonna bury my body under one of these trees.”

“Yep, you got me,” Callum says with a smirk, and keeps driving.

Eventually they turn off the main road, and head down a little dusty track. The trees get denser, and when Callum finally stops the car it takes a moment for Ben’s eyes to adjust.

They’re by a river, a long patch of flowery grass nearby as well as a few other people in the distance.

“What are we doing here?” Ben asks, a little breathless. He’s not a romantic, really, not like Callum. But this is beautiful.

“I packed a picnic. Thought we could leave our phones in the car and just go relax out by the water. What d’ya think?”

When Ben looks at him, Callum’s smiling his head off. It hits so tight in Ben’s throat he’s not sure if he can speak. “I love it, Cal. Thanks.”

“Come on.”

Ben laughs when Callum pulls out a checked picnic rug, Callum just pushing him sideways. They find a nice, mostly isolated spot close to the river and settle in. Callum had packed sandwiches and fruit and crisps (“Linda did a lot of it,”) and a few bottles of beer as well.

It’s perfect.

“How’d you learn about this place?” Ben asks when they’re full of food and lounging shoulder to shoulder. 

“Um, Chris, actually,” Callum says, sounding a little hesitant. Ben moves up onto his elbow so he can see Callum’s face. “He used to talk about when we finished up work, y’know, that we should come explore the countryside.”

Ben gives Callum a smile. “He was asking you out.”

Callum blushes, but he looks a little more at ease now. They’d talked about Chris, a little, but Callum seemed to worry about how much he could talk about him. Whether he was afraid of it hurting Ben, or himself, Ben wasn’t sure. “Yeah, I guess he was.”

“So you never?”

“No.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah,” Callum agrees, getting up on an elbow too and coming in close. “It would have been nice to know him more. Like this. But … but it’s because of him I get you here. Like this. So I’m glad.”

“Yeah.” Ben brushes the hair out of Callum’s face, touching his mouth with the pad of his finger. He knows he’s getting in deep here. He knows the feeling’s mutual. He’s ready for it. “Me too.”

**3.**

It hits breaking point the day Stuart walks in on them taking a shower. It had mostly been innocent - at least when he walked in - but apparently his brothers bare arse pressed against the shower screen is too much for him to deal with.

Ben just laughs and laughs.

“It ain’t-” Callum starts, but Ben doesn’t let him finish.

“Oh, it is,” he disagrees, still chuckling as he gets dressed. “Stuart knew what he was getting into, alright?”

“I ain’t even talking about Stuart. I mean … we just don’t get a lot of time to … it always feels so rushed.”

“I told’ja I’d set up a mattress at the car lot,” Ben jokes, but it gets him thinking. 

They’d had a lot of romantic outings, and spent a lot of time just being in each other’s company. But Callum was right. They didn’t get a chance for much intimacy, and they both craved it all the time. 

If it wasn’t the risk of someone walking in on them, it was the demand of getting back to work, or needing to look after Lexi, or even just being so damn tired that they would just fall asleep together on the sofa watching some terrible reality show that Callum pretended not to like.

That part wasn’t so bad.

“Would’ya tell me where we’re going?” Callum nags as Ben drives them into town. He’d pulled Callum out of work without any real explanation - and as much as Callum trusts him he also knows Ben likes to tease. “I don’t have any other clothes, Ben.”

“Sure you do. I packed you a bag.”

“What?”

“Just relax, Cal. It’s the weekend, it’s just you and me. There’s nothing to worry about.”

When they get to the hotel, Callum mostly looks stunned. He just follows Ben with his mouth half open, as they check in, as they go up to their floor, as they head into their room.

“Well?”

“What’s…” Callum starts, dropping his bag in the middle of the room. “I mean, is there an occasion?”

“Yes,” Ben says slowly, smirking. “Lots of interrupted sex.”

Callum stops gaping enough to slap him. “Ben.”

“What? You said yaself we don’t get enough time to just … enjoy ourselves, so. Here we are.”

“Wow.” Callum flops down onto the bed, Ben following him.

“Two nights. There’s a restaurant, a pool, and apparently a very big, very nice bathtub.”

Callum is still looking around, stunned. Ben can’t help but laugh. It feels good to know that he can surprise Callum like this - that he can give him the care he deserves. “Well? What do you think?”

“It’s amazing,” he says, coming out of his trance to give Ben a big smile. “Seriously. I love it. Thank you.”

Ben leans in to give him a sweet, short kiss, smiling into each others mouth. “So, sex now or?”

Callum wrestles him onto the bed.

**4.**

Lola has a last minute work emergency and shows up at Ben’s one Saturday morning with a very excited Lexi in tow. She squeals and climbs on his back and yammers at him a mile a minute while Ben tries to tell Lola that today is just a really bad day he’s sorry but he can’t.

“Ben, please!”

“I promised Callum - ”

Lola groans at him. “Callum? Really?”

“We haven’t been out for weeks, Lo, it’s not - ” he’s cut off by Lola dropping Lexi’s backpack at his feet.

“I’m sorry but I have to go in, I have no choice.”

Ben just watches her leave, not disappointed but mostly defeated. They’d sort of hit a boredom rut, him and Callum, and today they were going to go see a movie, grab something to eat, just make time for each other again.

Now he was going to have to cancel.

“What are we doing today, Daddy?” Lexi asks as Ben pulls out his phone.

“What do you want to do, princess?”

“Can we go somewhere fun? Can we go to the shops? Or the zoo? Or that place with all those cool rides and things?”

“Um, sure, I bet we can think of something.”

When Callum picks up the phone he still sounds half asleep. It’s only half eight, so Ben can forgive him. “Hey. You alright?”

“Yeah, it’s just, Lola just dropped Lexi off.” There’s a pause, and before Callum can saying anything Ben rushes forward. “She had to work, last minute, and couldn’t get any one else to mind her so, so I was just wondering if you’d be alright with spending the day with both of us?”

“Oh,” Callum sounds surprised. “I mean yeah, course, I’d love that.”

“Really?”

“Ben. Of course.”

“Okay, well, we don’t know what we’re doing yet but we might go for a drive. Sound good?”

“Absolutely. I’ll go get ready now.”

“Great. See you soon.”

Lexi sits at the table with her things while Ben goes to freshen up. He’s not sure why he suddenly feels nervous - Lexi and Callum know each other, they’ve chatted and played at Kathy’s place. And Callum’s been with Ben for months now, it’s not like he doesn’t know he has a daughter.

It’s not like it’s some kind of deal breaker.

“Hey, you,” Ben says softly when Callum gets there, giving him a quick kiss. “Thanks for coming.”

“Thanks for inviting me.”

“Hi, Callum!” Lexi calls when they go inside, propped up on her knees at the table. “You want to come and draw?”

“I’d love to!”

Callum goes and sits by Lexi while Ben goes to put on the kettle and as it boils he watches his two favourite people chatting animatedly to each other, his heart pressing against his chest. It seems impossible that he could feel like this again after so long. That he could be happy and feel like, maybe, he deserves it.

“Well what adventure are we going on today?” Ben asks as he puts his and Callum’s drink down, sitting beside him. Callum puts a hand on his shoulder and squeezes.

“Let’s go to the moon!” Lexi suggests, making Callum laugh again.

“Sure. Are you going to drive?”

“No, Callum is, Daddy,” Lexi tells him and it sounds a lot like  _ duh _ .

“Oh, right, I forgot he was an astronaut.”

Callum smirks at him. “It’s like you don’t even know me.”

“I’m sorry.”

As Lexi continues to talk all about the trip to space she has planned for the day, Callum leans in close to Ben, his hand now on Ben’s knee. “Thanks for this. I’m - it means a lot to me.”

“Course,” Ben says softly. “I got my two best friends. Can’t think of anything better.”

Callum’s hand presses harder and his breath seems to skip. “Neither can I.”

**5.**

They’re going to Paris. Ben keeps repeating it in his head, hoping that at some point it might feel real. Except they checked their bags, and got on the train, and are now more than an hour from home - and it still hasn’t sunk in.

Him, Callum, and a week in Paris.

“You’re quiet,” Callum says, both of them lounged low in their seats and half asleep. He reaches over to grab Ben’s hand, playing with it. “Sure you’re okay with this?”

“What? Course I am!”

“It’s a long time to be away. You know, just the two of us.”

“Don’t be daft.”

Callum gives his hand a little pinch, smirking when Ben hisses. “I’m not. It’s the first time we done something like this, so…”

“I know. But it’s been nearly six months now, Cal. I think we’d know if we couldn’t stand each other alone for a week.”

“Hmm, I donno,” Callum jokes, flattening Ben with that bloody grin. “I’ve seen the way you eat ribs. Snails might be the last straw.”

“Oh shut up.”

It had been Callum’s idea. They were both due some time off, and the weather had been spectacularly bad - it was nice to escape it all, just the two of them. 

Ben was excited. Excited to explore, and try new things, and wrap himself up in Callum’s long limbs and pretend the rest of the world didn’t exist. 

He was excited.

“Actually, I’ve been thinking,” he hears himself say, turning in his seat to curl closer to Callum. “I’m sick of me family, and you’re always moaning about Stuart.”

“Not always,” Callum starts to say, but Ben cuts him off.

“When we get back why don’t we … how about we look for something. For us.”

Callum blinks at him. “You mean find a place to live?”

“Yeah. Just something small. I think there was a place on Beaumont that’s empty.”

Callum doesn’t say anything for a long moment and Ben starts to panic. He’d really thought they’d be on the same page here - he knew that Callum hated the lack of space and privacy as much as he did. Was he pushing it?

“I mean,” Ben says, trying to pull his hand away to ease the pressure. But Callum holds on tight.

“I want that,” he says earnestly. “I really do. I just don’t want you to feel like you have to. I don’t wanna force you.”

Ben scoffs. “It was my suggestion.”

“Yeah, but I’m the one who’s always complaining about the flat.”

“So? We both hate where we are and we both love … want space,” Ben says, tripping over his words. “So let’s do it together. I want that, you want that, what could be the problem?”

Callum’s doing that thing he does that always leaves Ben a hot mess. Looking at him like he can see right through him. The truth is he can, really. Always has. 

“There’s no problem,” Callum tells him with a smile. “If you want it, I want it.”

Ben smiles back, moving the rest of the way to give Callum a gentle kiss. He presses the tip of his nose to Callum’s, then kisses it.

“And hey,” Callum says, almost a whisper. “You’re right. I love you. You love me. Yeah?”

Ben almost gasps. “Yeah. So much.”

“Good.” Callum kisses him. “That’s good.”   
  


**+1**

It’s Sunday morning and late and Ben rolls over in bed to curl against Callum. They’re only dozing, Callum’s hand coming up to play in Ben’s hair - Ben’s hand fluttering against Callum’s tummy. It’s cosy, and warm, and he dreads having to get up.

“What time’s the thing?” Callum asks in a raspy voice, turning so that they’re arms and legs and everything are snaked together. Ben makes a happy sound and pushes closer.

“Donno. 12? 1?”

“It’s your family.”

Ben snorts. “Very distant. Don’t know why they invited me.”

They doze again, Callum’s hand still in Ben’s hair and Ben digging fingernails into Callum’s back. It’s still so new, this, feeling small and protected in another man’s arms. He’s always been the ‘big man’, and still is when he’s out in the Square. But here with Callum in their home - he can just let himself drown in it.

“We should get up,” Callum says eventually, and Ben makes an angry sound.

“No. No moving.”

“It’s getting late, Ben.”

“Don’t care.”

“It’s a two hour drive!”

Ben just grumbles again. His face is in Callum’s shoulder, his dick is starting to stir where it’s rocking against Callum’s hip. It’s so perfect here, why would he leave?

“Let’s stay here. Please?”

“But … what if ya family get mad?”

Ben laughs, pulling back enough to look in Callum’s eye. “Soft.”

“Shut up.”

“You’re telling me you’d rather go to some Mitchell madness then spend the day in bed with me?”

“Well, no, of course not, but - ”

“Then let’s stay. There’s food, so we don’t have to go out. I’ll tell dad I’m sick or something. Please?”

This time it’s Callum’s turn to growl, getting his arms around Ben and pulling him in, before rolling him onto his back. “You’re impossible, you.”

“And you love it,” Ben tells him, laughing when Callum presses his head into Ben’s chest and nuzzling. He kisses him there, then at his shoulder, then at his neck before slumping down on top of him and covering him with his whole body.

“You can make breakfast then,” he says teasingly, bringing a hand up to play at Ben’s face, his ear.

“Alright.”

“And coffee. And lunch.”

“I tell ya you can have me all to yaself and you’re thinking about what I can feed you?”

“Course.”

“Unbelievable!” Ben mock-yells, pushing Callum off him. “And what else can I do for you sir? Huh? Blowjobs, milk bath, massage?”

“Hmmm,” Callum says, half into a pillow and one eye open. He looks like a meal himself, all stretched out and pale and soft. As if Ben can stay angry. 

Callum grins. “Kiss me?”

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr.](http://thefancyspin.tumblr.com)


End file.
